My Favorite Triathlon Websites

Terry L. VanderWert on January 14, 2019

screenshot-of-running-in-the-usa-website

The internet abounds with information about training, preparing, and planning for a triathlon, and most of us these days have great internet from somewhere like spectrum internet in order to access this information with ease. Through my years taking part in the sport, I have come across many websites, among the best websites for triathletes, especially those age 50 and over.

As its title implies, this post includes information about the websites I have found to be the ‘go-to’ sites for my triathlon journey.

Favorite Websites for:

Best Website for Planning Your Next Triathlon

RunningintheUSA.com is my first choice when searching for triathlons across the USA.

running-in-the-usa-dot-com is the best-website-for-triathletes-looking-for-their-next-triathlon

Running in the USA Multisport Events menu

Why I Started Using It

As soon as Joy and I decided to do triathlons in each of the states of the USA, I started searching the internet for websites that listed various races. I found several sites, some with a regional focus. Over time, I found that I relied more and more on Running in the USA.

Who is Behind the Website?

RunningintheUSA.com is the product of hard work and commitment of the husband and wife team of Bill and Mary Flaws of Waukesha, Wisconsin. According to the website:

“Mary is an avid runner, and Bill is sane. Mary does the website programming. Bill takes the pictures that are featured on the home page. We work many many many many hours scouring the internet, maintaining the information in the directories. This is our full-time life work. We don’t have other jobs. We barely do much else besides maintain this website. It is our life, and we love it.”

Video Demo of RunningintheUSA.com

Key Features

The site can currently be used to search a database of over 41,000 running races such as 5k, 10k, half marathon, and so on and over 2,700 multisport events like triathlons.

  • Search for triathlons by
    • Region
    • State
    • Type of multisport event (e.g. Triathlon, Duathlon, Aquathon)
    • Distance (e.g. Supersprint, Sprint, Olympic, Half Ironman, Ironman)
    • Date (e.g. month, date range)
  • Search for races in adjacent states on consecutive dates

Apparently, there is an important population of those who share an interest in completing races in multiple states. For this group, the site developers included a feature under the Multisport Events tab called ‘Double Stater’.

double-stater-menu

The “Double Stater” menu is used to search for triathlons held on consecutive days in adjacent states.

Other Sites for Finding Upcoming Triathlons

This review was first published in January 2019.

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Best Website about Sleep and Your Athletic Performance

Whether you are stepping up to the plate at a softball game or waiting for the starting gun at your next triathlon, the quality of the sleep you have had will affect your performance.

And as a triathlete, sleep will have played a critical part in your training. As I have noted in the post titled ‘Rest and Recovery – Why It’s Important for Senior Triathletes, sleep should be a key part of your training plan.

Tuck.com is a valuable website for those who are looking for better sleep or have questions about getting the rest needed for proper recovery.

Video Tour of Tuck.com

Pages Highlighted in the Video Tour

Pages of the Tuck.com website highlighted in the video review are:

Please check out Tuck.com and share your comments below.

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Best Website for Swim and Other Triathlon Training Gear

Triathlon is sometimes referred to as a rich man’s sport. This comes in part from the expense of registration fees, even though there are race organizations who are offering reduced fees. But that’s a story for another time.

Another reason that triathlons can be an expensive sport is because of the amount of clothing and equipment one needs purchase for training and racing in three quite different sports. Of course, much of it is unnecessary. As long as people have basic training wear, they should be fine to train and compete in triathlons. People can get some athletic clothing from websites like Imprint, they offer custom t shirts that are ideal for sports. Runners can get their clothing customized with their name or the marathon name, for example. That’s a great way of letting people know that you’re running the marathon. Perhaps seniors should just look for basic training wear, they don’t need to splash out lots of money on unnecessary clothing.

Meet SwimOutlet.com

SwimOutlet.com is the first place I go when looking for a new or replacement item for triathlon training or racing. This is also where my wife, kids, and grandkids go for their swim clothing and equipment. This comes from several years of shopping many sites and ending up purchasing items from the Swim Outlet site.

page on the SwimOutlet.com website for triathlon gear, one of the best websites for triathlon

SwimOutlet is a USA Triathlon certified multisport retailer.

While you should shop around, I have consistently found Swim Outlet to offer a full range of products in a range of quality and price points. And, prices are competitive and, many times, the lowest. Plus, they offer a price match.

Following is a quick tour of the SwimOutlet website.

If you prefer, you can watch the video on YouTube.

Video Script

Here we are at SwimOutlet.com website. To help you get started on your journey here, I want to highlight a few areas in which triathletes may be most interested.

First of all, at the ‘Gear’ then ‘Swim Gear’ tab, you can find everything imaginable for swimming no matter if you are a beginner or professional triathlete. With so many products to choose from, Swim Outlet helps shoppers zero-in on the right ones using product-specific filters such a size, brand, color, material, and price.

The site also includes several guides such as the one for sun protection shown here. You can find the link to this and other pages in the SeniorTriathletes.com post about my favorite triathlon websites (this post for those watching the video on SeniorTriathletes.com).

The ‘Triathlon’ link beneath the ‘Gear by Sport’ area under the ‘Gear’ tab, takes you to pages where you can find triathlon, biking, and running specific items. By the way, Swim Outlet is a USA Triathlon certified multisport retailer.

And if you are a Value shopper looking for the best deals, click on the SALE tab from the Home page. Here you will find good quality at the most competitive prices. For example, if you are looking for low cost jammers for your swim training, check out their grab bags by typing ‘grab’ in the search bar.

Take a stroll through the SwimOutlet site. I think you will enjoy it and be amazed at the wide range of products and their good prices.

Thank you for watching.

END OF VIDEO SCRIPT

Featured SwimOutlet Pages

Pages of the SwimOutlet website highlighted in the video review are:

Disclosure: Please note that SeniorTriathletes.com is a participant in the SwimOutlet.com affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to SwimOutlet.com. As an affiliate, I will receive a small commission for any purchases made at SwimOutlet.com when you use the link in this post.

Sales are common on SwimOutlet.com

SwimOutlet.com offers quality products at competitive prices.

Please check out SwimOutlet.com and share your comments below.

This review was first published in May 2019.

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Best Website for Nutrition and Hydration

If you have done a triathlon, there is a good chance you are already familiar with Hammer Nutrition since they sponsor many triathlons and endurance sporting events. In fact, you likely received in your swag-bag a sample of a Hammer Nutrition product – a Hammer Gel, Endurolytes Fizz, or one of their Energy bars.

Hammer Nutrition home page

I was introduced to more of the Hammer Nutrition products and how to use them by Senior Triathlete James Chapman at the Rocky Gap Triathlon in Maryland.

Then, when training for my first half marathon, I exchanged emails with Steve Born. Steve laid out a fueling plan for both my training and the race itself. Without the right fuel, an otherwise enjoyable challenge can become a disaster. I don’t go out on a long bike ride without a few Hammers gels – just in case.

Since I sweat a lot during exercising of every kind, Hammer Endurolytes capsules are also great for maintaining electrolyte levels.

You can take a quick tour of the Hammer Nutrition website by clicking on the frame below.

Video Review of the Hammer Nutrition website

If you prefer, you can watch the video on YouTube

Video Script

I am on the Hammer Nutrition website. You can see its contents by hovering over the four top-level headings – Top Sellers, Fuels & Supplements, And More, and Education.

Hovering over ‘Fuels & Supplements’ shows you the range of products for training and racing and for daily consumption. You can explore these further by clicking on one of the red sub-heads.

The ‘And More’ shows you ‘Gear’, including Clearance items and Electro Stimulation products which I have used and really enjoy. It also includes ‘Clothing’, ‘Coffee’ and ‘Body Care’ products with which I have less experience.

The fourth heading is ‘Education’ which contains a whole host of articles and quick-read advice pieces to help you learn about and fine-tune your fueling and hydration approaches for both training and racing.

As you can see, the site is easy to navigate. I recommend taking at least a few minutes to take a look around it. I am confident you will come away with some new and useful information.

Thank you for watching.

END

Featured Hammer Nutrition Pages

Pages of the Hammer Nutrition website highlighted in the video are:

If you want to receive a 15% discount on your first order with Hammer Nutrition, enter Customer Number 203519 when prompted.

To be transparent, that Customer Number is assigned to me. I will also receive a credit on my next order under the Hammer Nutrition Referral Program. If you like, you can also participate in this program once you have become a customer.

Please check out Hammer Nutrition and share your comments below.

This review was first published in July 2019.

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Coming Soon: Favorite Websites for

  • Triathlon Training
    • Swim
    • Bike
    • Run
  • Racing Advice

Triathlon Across the USA: State #24 – Utah

Terry L. VanderWert on January 1, 2019

Utah-state-capital-in-Salt-Lake-City

Bountiful, Utah, September 7, 2015 – South Davis Labor Day Triathlon, South Davis Recreation Center

The Utah triathlon was the first of three sprint triathlons within seven days.

This race is one chapter in a 50-state journey—now told in full in Triathlon Adventures Across America .

Deadlines Can Make a Difference

If you are like me, a deadline can be important for keeping training on track. We start with an admirable, and achievable, goal, like improving our fitness or losing a few pounds.

However, it is easy to lose momentum once we start making progress toward the goal and the ‘pain’ that motivated us initially is no longer as great.

“A goal without a deadline is just a dream.”

Robert Herjavec, Canadian businessman

That’s where committing to a specific race can help to maintain the momentum. An impending race is what many of us need to remain focused.

I know that registering – and paying for – a race works because this is my story.

This is also a reason many local fitness centers, community recreation centers, and even YMCAs sponsor triathlons, like the South Davis Labor Day Triathlon. These races provide its members the much-needed deadline and focus for training.

And, they usually come at a reasonable and affordable fee, especially when you consider the t-shirt and other giveaways (also known as ‘swag’) given to participants.

Before the Utah Triathlon

The Bountiful, Utah triathlon was one stop on a roughly two-week road trip to complete triathlons in Utah, Oregon, and Washington, all within a seven-day period.

Our route to Bountiful (Salt Lake City) from our Minnesota home included an overnight stay in Omaha, Nebraska with our son, daughter-in-law, and two granddaughters. From here, it was a comfortable, albeit long, day’s drive to the Salt Lake City area.

We arrived two days before the Labor Day Triathlon so we could take in some of the unique sights and activities of the area that included:

  • Touring the Latter-Day Saints Conference Center.
  • Listening to an organ recital at the Mormon Tabernacle.
  • Searching family records at the Family Search Center in the Joseph Smith Memorial. I learned about my paternal grandmother. Joy learned that she comes from French and English royalty; she always told me that she was a princess.
  • Walking in and around the Great Salt Lake.

On Sunday afternoon, Joy and I drove the bike course for the triathlon, a typical pre-race ritual. We were unable to drive the entire course since several miles of the course was on a combination bike and walking/running trail near the Legacy Nature Preserve.

7th South Davis Labor Day Triathlon

Bountiful is a northern suburb of Salt Lake City that sits at around 4,300 feet elevation. This is high enough for someone from the middle plains of the USA to feel the effects of the altitude, especially during biking and running.

The Labor Day Triathlon is part of a series of races organized and managed by the South Davis Recreation Center in Bountiful. The event included both sprint and novice individual triathlon distances. It also included a sprint relay option.

logo-on-t-shirt-of-2015-Labor-Day-Triathlon
Logo on the t-shirt provided to participants of the 2015 South Davis Labor Day Triathlon.

Distances for the individual legs of this USAT-sanctioned sprint triathlon were:

  • Swim: 0.2 miles (350 yards)
  • Bike: 12 miles (19.3 km)
  • Run: 3.1 miles (5 km)

The novice race included distances approximately half those of the sprint triathlon:

  • Swim: 150 yards
  • Bike: 5 miles (8 km)
  • Run: 1.5 miles (2.4 km)

The triathlon made use of the Center’s 14-lane pool. The transition area for the triathlon made use of the parking area for the Bountiful City Park located immediately behind the fitness center.

Swim

The 350-yard (320 m) swim followed a serpentine path across the 14 lanes of the 25-yard long pool.

Before the start of the triathlon, swimmers lined up in order of the time in which they anticipated completing the swim. Every few seconds, a swimmer would jump into the first lane and swim to the other end.

At the end of the first length, we ducked under the lane divider and swam back to the starting end in the second lane. It was then under the lane divider for a swim to the other end of lane 3. For the sprint distance race, this process was repeated for each lane of the pool.

After 14 lengths, we got out of the pool and walked or jogged out of the pool area onto the outdoor sidewalk leading to the transition area and our bikes.

South-Davis-Recreation-Center-pool-during-triathlon-swim
Just before the start of the triathlon, swimmers lined up according to their anticipated time for the swim leg. (Picture courtesy of South Davis Recreation Center.)

Bike

The initial and final portions of the relatively flat bike course were on the streets of Bountiful. An intermediate section of the course followed the bike trail next to the Legacy Nature Preserve.

While we had driven the road portion of the course the day before the race, we obviously could not drive on the bike trail portion. Neither had I taken time to ride the trail portion.

Did I Miss the Turn?

With swimmers starting one at a time, bikers were also spread out along the course. In fact, there were times, especially on the portion along the Preserve, when I did not see another biker.

At one point, I was sure that I had missed the turn-off and was on my own. I knew that the course eventually turned onto a path leading back to the streets. All of sudden, I realized that there were no other bikers around me and began to worry that I had already passed the turn.

I decided to trust the race directors to have clearly marked the course or to provide a volunteer to keep racers on course.

Sure enough, a few blocks ahead, I found the sought-after volunteer. A quick turn, followed by a ride of about one block on a section of the trail, and I was in a parking lot heading back onto the city streets and toward the transition area.

Triathlon Tip: Many athletes, including elite triathletes, have lost races by missing a turn on the race course. This has occurred despite the best attempts of race directors to mark all turns. Take advantage of race course maps and instructions provided before the race to become familiar with the course. Ironically, being familiar with the course is more important for races with fewer participants, for which the spacing between racers is often greater.

Run

The run course left the transition area, heading west about a block to the street that passes in front of the South Davis Recreation Center. With the first of five right turns complete, the run on this flat course continued along a rectangular path on the sidewalks of the streets north of the South Davis Recreation Center.

It was during this leg that I felt the effect of the altitude. Fortunately, there were many supporters shouting out their words of encouragement to a background of ringing cowbells. Music along the course arranged by the race organizers the much-needed distraction as I worked my way toward the finish line.

With the Utah Triathlon Complete . . .

With the race complete and a long drive ahead of us, Joy and I went back to the hotel for a quick shower. We packed the rest of the luggage into the back of our van and headed to our next destination. It turned out that this would be Bend, Oregon.

Race Firsts

  • First triathlon on a weekday.
  • This was my first triathlon held on a national holiday.
  • First race in which part of the bike course was a biking/running/walking trail.
Triathlon Adventures Across America book cover

What Could Your Journey Be?

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Have You Made a Wrong Turn During a Triathlon?

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Triathlon Across the USA: State #41 – Kentucky

Terry L. VanderWert on December 21, 2018

bench-in-the-park-across-from-Winchester-Clark-County-Recreation-Center

Winchester, Kentucky; October 6, 2018 – WinSprint 2018, Winchester-Clark County Recreation Center.

Our Kentucky triathlon was a small, yet challenging, competitive, and well-run race.

So, if competing in a triathlon with several hundred or even thousands of participants is intimidating, don’t let that stop you. Choose one that fits your goals and comfort zone.

This race is one chapter in a 50-state journey—now told in full in Triathlon Adventures Across America .

A Road Trip to Celebrate our 45th Wedding Anniversary

I learned about the WinSprint Triathlon on a favorite website, Running in the USA, while searching for triathlons in the southeastern states. Joy and I used the site to put together a string of five triathlons on five consecutive weekends to get us closer to our goal of a triathlon in each of the 50 states.

The Kentucky triathlon also coincided with our 45th wedding anniversary.

Getting to the Kentucky Triathlon

After the North Carolina Triathlon on the previous Saturday, Joy and I took a leisurely path to Daniel Boone country in northeastern Kentucky. On the way, we toured portions of western North Carolina and communities around the Great Smoky National Park in eastern Tennessee.

Actually, this was our second time in Kentucky during the road trip. The first visit was between the Ohio and Tennessee triathlons in the second week of the trip.

During the earlier visit to Kentucky, we tried our hand at tent camping. Unlike our time in Ohio, this camping was without the rain, in Big Bone Lick State Park in northwestern Kentucky.

3rd WinSprint Triathlon

The WinSprint Triathlon is organized and managed by the staff of Winchester – Clark County Recreation Center (WCCRC). The center is housed in the former site of Southeastern Christian College.

The triathlon doubles as a fundraiser for the purchase of bikes for the WCCRC annual Bicycle Rodeo. According to the WCCRC website:

“Last year we purchased and gave away 26 bikes! We hope to give away even more during our 2018 event and appreciate your support in helping make this a reality!!”

The 2018 WinSprint Triathlon included six categories of race, all involving sprint triathlon distances:

  • Sprint triathlon with road biking
  • Sprint triathlon with stationary biking in the fitness center
  • Relay versions of the road and stationary bike events
  • Duathlon (bike and run; no swim) versions of the road and stationary bike events

Distances for the individual legs of this sprint triathlon were:

  • Swim: 0.23 mile (400 yds)
  • Bike: 6.2 miles (10 km)
  • Run: 3.1 miles (5 km)

Filled to Capacity

According to April S. of WCCRC, the number of participants in the WinSprint Triathlon has grown each year. Starting with 40 participants in 2016, the race’s first year, the number of racers jumped to 80 in 2017, its second year.

In this, the third year, registration exceeded the initial cap of 100 participants set by recreation center management. The cap was based on the capacity of the WCCRC facility and the number of participants that could complete the event within the half day allotted to it.

While Clark County was well represented among the participants, about 60% of the participants came from outside the immediate area.

The race had a family-friendly feel to it with lots of children visible on race morning. A special feature of this race was the availability of free daycare. Race organizers provided this for parents who needed their children watched while they raced.

pre-race-meeting-at-the-Kentucky-triathlon
A pre-race meeting for the Kentucky triathlon was held in the gymnasium of the Winchester – Clark County Recreation Center.

WinSprint Triathlon Transition Area

Another unique feature of this race, one that I like, was the lottery for the position (bike rack number) within the transition area. During packet pickup on race morning, triathletes selected a colored piece of paper with a number. Mine had the number 12 on it.

The number on the paper corresponded to the number on the rack on which we placed our bikes. The lottery had two benefits.

First, it controlled the number of bikes on each rack. This ensured that each racer had roughly the same space in which to set out their gear within the transition area.

The second benefit was that it prevented a rush on race morning to get the best locations in the transition area. Unlike most triathlons, the bike out/in and the run out locations were on the same end of the transition area. With this arrangement, there was an advantage, albeit small, to having one’s transition space near the bike out/in end of the transition area.

transition-area-of-WinSprint-triathlon
The transition area of the WinSprint Triathlon was on a section of Wheeler Avenue in front of the Winchester – Clark County Recreation Center.

Swim

The swim was organized in waves. Waves began at 15-minute intervals. Two swimmers were assigned to each of five lanes of the 25-yard long pool. A sixth lane remained open for swimmers who required more than the allotted 15 minutes to complete the swim.

Swimmers swam eight laps (sixteen lengths). Volunteers who counted each swimmer’s laps notified each person when they were beginning their last lap and when they had completed eight laps.

With their swim complete, athletes either left the building for the outdoor transition area (using the door in the picture below) or, if they were taking part in the stationary bike event, left the swim area for a nearby room containing the stationary bikes.

Winchester-Clark-County-Recreation-Center-pool
The swim for the WinSprint Triathlon was held in the 25-yard WCCRC pool.

Bike

There were two unique features of the WinSprint Triathlon:

  1. It had the shortest bike leg of any of the more than 40 triathlons I have completed to this point.
  2. It was the first to include a stationary bike option for the bike leg.

For the stationary bike option, the rider used a bicycle within the fitness center to ride the 6.2 mile (10 km). Of course, there were no hills and there was no wind working for or against the rider while on the stationary bike.

Not surprisingly, times on the stationary bikes were less than those on the road bikes. The fastest bike split (time on the bike) for an individual sprint triathlete competing in the stationary bike event was 13:16. This compared to the fastest bike split of 17:31 for the road bike event.

Out on the Road

The temperature on the bike course was comfortable, in the low 70s °F. The course left the transition area following city streets to Boonesboro Avenue, a county highway that led southwest out of town toward the turnaround at George Rogers Clark High School.

Upon reaching the entrance to the High School, I turned into the parking lot. There were no other bikers around me, though there were plenty of volunteers whose instructions I thought I followed correctly.

I continued straight ahead, riding counterclockwise around the school building. Passing another volunteer in a parking lot behind the school, I continued up the hill leading to the exit of the property and back toward the highway.

While riding the last few hundred yards to the exit of the school grounds, I met other bikers going in the opposite direction from me.

I am still not sure if I followed the right course or if I should have gone clockwise around the building. The bike course map on the race website did not show this detail. Either way, the distance was the same.

Triathlon tip: One strategy that helps to shave a few seconds off the overall race time is to leave my bike shoes connected to the pedals. Following a few pedal strokes after mounting the bike, I coast and slip my feet into the bike shoes. This requires practice, so don’t plan to try this for the first time on race day.

removing-feet-from-clipped-in-bike-shoes
Before dismounting at the end of the bike leg, I slip my feet out of the bike shoes which stay clipped into the pedals. The picture is courtesy of WinSprint Triathlon.

Run

The run course took us through the Holiday Hills neighborhood west of the Recreation Center. I learned from April that the course would be hilly. It didn’t disappoint. In fact, there were few flat sections on the course, even though none of the hills were especially long or steep.

There was plenty of moral support and encouragement to help us along the course. There was also water.

In fact, I still chuckle each time I recall the young girl who passed out water at the mid-point of the run course.  As I took the cup of water, she told me that I could throw my water cup on the ground.

I asked her who would pick up the cup if I threw it on the ground.  Without hesitating, she gave me the answer. “My mom.”

Smiling, I tucked the paper cup into the pocket on the back of my triathlon suit and headed toward the finish.

Time to Head Home

After crossing the finish line and turning in my timing chip, I downed some liquid refreshment and a banana.  After stowing the race gear back in the van, we headed to the hotel for a shower.

With the fifth of the five fall triathlons complete, we began our return home.

Firsts at the Kentucky Triathlon

  • First triathlon at which daycare was provided for participants.
  • Shortest bike course.
  • First triathlon with a stationary bike option.
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Large or Small?

What size of triathlon do you most prefer? Number of participants? Distance? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.

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Triathlon Across the USA: State #40-North Carolina

Terry L. VanderWert on November 3, 2018

Bicycle-whirligig-at-Vollis-Simpson-Whirligig-Park

Wilson, North Carolina; September 29, 2018 – Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon, Buckhorn Reservoir.

The triathlon outside Wilson, North Carolina was the fourth of five sprint triathlons I completed on consecutive weekends during the fall of 2018.

This race is one chapter in a 50-state journey—now told in full in Triathlon Adventures Across America .

Travel to the North Carolina Triathlon

After completing the Lake Lanier Islands Triathlon in suburban Atlanta, Joy and I traveled to the South Carolina coast and central North Carolina.

We left Georgia, not sure what to expect in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. In the previous two weeks, Florence had dumped over three feet (91 cm) of rain in parts of the Carolinas.

While some roads around Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, remained closed because of flooding, we traveled through the area with minor detours and delays. Sadly, however, we saw several houses still partially under water. The many downed trees and twisted road signs added to the picture of the hurricane’s force.

After two days exploring Myrtle Beach, we headed northwest for a couple of days in and around Raleigh. We spent part of the time at the Apple store to resolve an issue Joy was having with her phone. I also took this time to catch up on some writing related to the recent triathlons in Ohio, Tennessee, and Georgia.

Around midday on Thursday, we made the short drive from Raleigh to Wilson. The route we chose took us to Wilson through the countryside. Here, we would spend a few days sightseeing in this historic city before joining the Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon. One aspect of this triathlon adventure that we have especially enjoyed has been seeing the states from country roads, rather than only interstate highways.

On Friday morning, we met Drew Parker at the Wilson Welcome Center, hoping to learn about the city. Drew pointed us to several landmarks, including Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park.

Whirligig Park is a collection of ‘kinetic sculptures’ designed and produced by the colorful and creative Vollis Simpson. Given the number of sculptures involving cyclists, I am sure that Mr. Simpson must have loved biking.

After our tour of Whirligig Park, we explored Wilson’s southern style mansions and downtown business district.

Video showing a few of the many ‘kinetic sculptures’ in action at Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park, Wilson, North Carolina.

14th Battle at Buckhorn Sprint Triathlon

The Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon, managed by FS Series Events, (Raleigh, North Carolina), included both individual and relay sprint distances.

Longhorn-cattle-at-Buckhorn-Reservoir-near-Wilson-North-Carolina
The mascot for Buckhorn Lake and namesake for the Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon. Both the bike and run courses took us past a pasture with this and several other Texas Longhorns.

Distances for the individual legs of this USAT-sanctioned sprint triathlon were:

  • Swim: 0.47 mile (750 m)
  • Bike: 17 mile (27.4 km)
  • Run: 3.1 miles (5 km)

Thank You to the Volunteers

Volunteers are critical to a triathlon. They provide directions, drinks, and encouragement. We also need them to prevent collisions and other mishaps.

So, when I received an email requesting additional volunteers for the triathlon, I passed their request to Joy. Without batting an eye, she agreed to volunteer.

If you know Joy, you know she is a seasoned triathlon volunteer who adds spirit to a race. She would prefer to do almost anything but sit along the sideline waiting for me to complete the race. This is just another thing I love about her.

During packet pickup on Friday afternoon, Joy negotiated a position along the bike and run course. Her spot, a few hundred yards from the transition area, was at an intersection that doubled as the first turn for both the bike and the run.

After the race, she told me about the fun she had. “My job was busy and necessary, especially because I prevented runners and bikers from colliding.”

Triathlon tip: If you have not taken part in a triathlon and have some concerns about doing one, start by attending one as a spectator or, better yet, as a volunteer.

Swim

The water temperature today was a comfortable 78°F (26°C). This put it at the upper limit for a ‘wetsuit-legal’ triathlon, according to USAT rules.

Do I Use a Wetsuit?

Removing a wetsuit after a triathlon swim adds a few tens of seconds to the T1 (swim to bike) time. You can reduce the extra time by unzipping the suit and removing your arms from it while running into the transition area after exiting the water.

On the flipside, the extra buoyancy provided by a wetsuit leads to a faster swim. For the distance of the swim for this race, the faster pace and reduced swim time would more than offset the added time in transition to remove the wetsuit.

In the end, I used my wetsuit.

Buckhorn-Reservoir-with-buoys-for-the-Battle-at-Buckhorn-North-Carolina-triathlon
The Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon swim took place in the Buckhorn Reservoir. You may see the reservoir dam on the far shore on the left side of the picture. An orange turn buoy and yellow sighting buoy (visible at the right side of the picture) were on the third leg of the triangular swim course.

A Triangular Swim Course

Racers started in three waves: (1) all women, (2) men age 39 and under, and (3) men age 40 and over. Those who raced as part of a relay team started according to the gender and age of the team member covering the swim.

Swimmers within each of the three waves left on the triangular-shaped swim course from the ramp between two docks. In my particular wave, 57 males age 40 and over started together a few minutes after the previous two waves of females and younger males.

We swam toward the first orange buoy, initially using a yellow sighting buoy to guide us to the first turn.

After the first turn, we swam southeast into the sun, with the sun a few degrees off the horizon. Considering the sun and distance, the round yellow sighting buoy midway between the two turn buoys became the key to reaching the second turn buoy efficiently.

Once we reached the second orange buoy, we made a left turn and headed to the exit, guided by another yellow buoy and a red inflatable waving pillar.

From the map generated from my GPS watch, my actual path was reasonably straight.

map-from-GPS-watch-for-swim-at-Battle-at-Buckhorn-triathlon
The triangular swim course (purple line) in Buckhorn Lake from a recording made using my Garmin Forerunner GPS watch.

Bike

The 17-mile (27.4 km) bike course comprised a series of rolling hills described by one racer from Raleigh as “about as flat as it gets around here”.

According to my bike computer, the temperature was in the high 60s °F. With no wind, these conditions were ideal and certainly a lot more comfortable than on the previous two weekends.

The bike course was open to automobile traffic, with portions on a state highway. Since all the turns were to the right, we did not have to cross traffic. As the race director stated in the pre-race meeting, “If you take a left turn on this course, I don’t know where you will end up.”

The course took us on a gentle, roller-coaster of hills through rural residential areas and past small farms, country churches, and a few small businesses, including Triple J Produce near the end of the ride.

In the more rural areas away from the state highway, we passed corn and soybean fields. We also rode by pastures being cleared by grazing cattle who seemed unfazed by what had to be an unusual amount of bike traffic.

Given the series of right turns, good condition of the roads, and relatively light traffic on this Saturday morning, I felt safe throughout the ride.

Only One Problem With Traffic On This Open Course

Ironically, my only experience with traffic was in the parking lot just before transitioning to the run.

Riding into the parking lot near the transition area at the end of the course, I came up behind a white SUV crawling along, the driver apparently undecided about where he could or should park. (He shouldn’t have even been there, but that’s for another day.)

Since I could not tell if the driver would turn left or right into their parking spot, I waited before riding past him. He finally pulled off to the right.

Run

The run course involved two loops of the same path, most of which was on a portion of the bike course. The flat course left the transition area onto the road leading into and out of the Buckhorn Reservoir boat launch. Once again, I passed and was greeting by my favorite volunteer, Joy.

At the end of this road, we turned right and made a second right turn at the next intersection. Had we continued on this street past the run course turnaround, we would have reached the dam on the eastern edge of the reservoir.

I remember chuckling at the young boy running around his yard trying to herd the family’s chickens back into their cage. Apparently unsuccessful, he was still trying to gather them on my second lap.

After returning to the parking lot next to the transition area, we looped around a table containing cups of water and sports drinks. It was time to repeat the course and finish the race.

Paul-Bloom-and-Sharon-Roggenbuck-after-the-Battle-at-Buckhorn-Triathlon
Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon age group winners Paul Bloom (age 71) and Sharon Roggenbuck (age 80). Sharon’s approach to the podium to receive her age group award included a cartwheel.

After Our North Carolina Triathlon

After a stop at our hotel, we started our journey to Kentucky for the WinSprint Triathlon the next weekend. The first stops were in western North Carolina. Here we visited Mt. Airy, Andy Griffith’s hometown, and Asheville, home of the Biltmore Estate.

We will always remember the large patches of orange and yellow wildflowers in the median of the divided highways.

After leaving North Carolina, we spent several fun-filled days in southwestern Tennessee. Here we visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge (home of Dolly Parton’s Dollywood). It was then onto Winchester (Lexington), Kentucky for the next triathlon.

Scenes from visits to other North Carolina towns, Mt Airy and Asheville. Mt Airy was the home of Andy Griffith. Asheville is home to the Biltmore Estate.
After the Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon, Joy and I visited Mt. Airy and Asheville, North Carolina. Mt. Airy was the home of Andy Griffith, while the Biltmore Estate is outside Asheville.

Race Firsts

  • First time racing past longhorn cattle, something expected in Texas but not in North Carolina.
Triathlon Adventures Across America book cover

A Journey Beyond This Race

“Uplifting, real, and full of heart—I couldn’t put it down.”

Read the full journey in Triathlon Adventures Across America

Sightseeing With Triathlon

Do you like to combine trips to compete in a triathlon with sightseeing? Please tell us about one of your most memorable trips in the Comments section below.

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